Such is the commandment straight from the Old Testament. An exact match or an exact equivalent repayment. Recompense for the damage done. It is a difficult and touchy subject, for many have used it as reason and justification for inflicting violence upon others, while some say it is basically the underpinning of that thought and procedure which allows material compensation for damage done as well as applicable criminal charges.
But how does one measure or calculate the damage done in this war now halted in a shaky ceasefire. If anyone believes that this cease fire will hold for six weeks, well, I have a couple of bridges and tunnels for sale. Are there righteous claims on both sides of this horrendous war? Possibly. Probably, if we stretch the point, but to whom do we attach blame and from whom should recompense be demanded and what is that looking like in reality.
This topic is a disastrous mess. The whole enveloping topic is a disastrous mess. Gaza is essentially destroyed with major efforts necessary to rebuild in the immediate future, and as far as one can see. It is a huge undertaking, demanding of time and certainly demanding of monetary input and expertise. From whom do we demand recompense? Think.
Who took the original eye? Who then multiplied that action and grew it into a mass procedure, borders and limits unknown. Even as the perpetrators of that eye hunt claimed the oh so piteous and pitiable position as victim. Even as behind their backs their knives and guns were in operation, as the blood of the slaughtered pooled round their feet, so obvious yet so invisible to the onlookers. Invisible to the eyes of those who should see it and know it - for what it is, what it was, what it signifies not only for the present, but for the future as well. Well, apparently, we need more optometrists in the world to repair the faulty vision of the world and negate any possibility of return of such violent cases of poor and distorted vision.
If we are to be able to take up and fulfill the obligations of such a task, we must dig deep, delve deep into the issue. and understand from whence did this violence come? It is not even necessary to go back hundreds and hundreds of years, for one lie built upon another lie and yet another lie and yet another lie does not make it the truth. Nor is there anybody alive or was alive at that point to speak. All hearsay. Provocative of more and more violence. Any pathway to truce, to amity, seems nigh unto impossible.
Hauntingly terrible is the state of constant war in the Middle East, declared or not. Nation against nation. Sect against sect. Religion against religion. Clan against clan. Gang against gang. It matters not. The little people fall in place behind their leaders. Mesmerized by the rhetoric, drawn to the hoopla, they fall prey to the fevers of war and the images of glory for themselves. They do not see clearly to the truth. They do not smell the fetid odor of the swamp just ahead. They do not wish to see or hear, for the possibility of killing Jews, of looted wealth is overpowering.
When the facts hit the fan and the filth is spewed all around, it is clear that even in the height of their madness, in the depth of the savagery, they knew and understood what they were doing. They called home boasting of their achievements. They treated women as inanimate treasure pieces of war. These bold warriors took as prisoners the elderly, infants and children, the wounded, those who were to be kept as loot, as bartering material, as sources of criminal enjoyment and indulgence. The world, the leaders of the world? Where were they? Nowhere near Israel. Nowhere were there any clear and unequivocable statements of permanent understanding and sympathy for Israel, support in its war against brutal animals, beasts in human clothing. As soon as hours after the Oct 7 attack, nations of the world colluded, admitting or not of that action and demanded of Israel to HALT! Stop in her tracks. Empty sockets went unseen, the rule of ayin tachat ayin ignored, twisted and defiant of the truth. Who lost eyes and who were the takers?
Whose cries were heard and acknowledged and whose were not? Their cries accompanied by waterfalls of crocodile tears melted the hearts of the world, as their leaders led them astray. Severely so. Enabling, encouraging, their followers, their dupes, to join in the fray. The interest upon the recompense due and unpaid piled up, grew out of bounds as the death tolls mounted on both sides. Pitiful, but then again, one must keep in mind as to the truth of responsibility and instigation, of first step. Who were the eye takers? And who were those who lost their eyes? Who were the defenders and who were the offenders. Who sought to free their family members from horrific captivity and who were the ones who placed them there?
This situation is not resolved, most definitely not. Not with the leaders remaining in power. Not when the world continues to demand recompense and defamation for and of the true victims of violence. The violence which then ensued is the recompense. Ayin tachat ayin. An eye for an eye. How many eyes did their actions, their foolish beliefs in their vile leaders cause?
Do not think that leaders of either side are exempt from blame. As usual, unfortunate steps taken by them, for reasons of greed, of power-hungry hands, of criminals, of cowards, of warmongers. Those who followed blindly. Well known figures of the clerics did not speak out against the violence, and in too many instants justified it, and as always, blaming Israel. The nerve - to defend sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, children and parents. The truth never in play.
Where are our leaders? Where were they 15+ months ago? Where were they when they were supposed to be keeping the nation safe? Why is it now a 'victory' when we hand over close to 2,000 beasts of terror for a pitiable 33 hostages? Alive? Dead? Who knows. The 'partner' in this ceasefire is not known for its truthfulness, yet we are supposed to buy it all, hook, line and sinker. Why are we allowing the hostages to be kept in unbearable captivity?
Are we that stupid, naive, and follow leaders who time and again send us into yet another brutal cycle, one that never ends? What is the matter with us, with our leaders, and why the hell did we allow, continue to allow these leaders to most definitely not lead us down the right paths, allow our eyes to fall prey to those who demand them, and continue on, learning nothing from experience. We are blind to their failure to fulfill their responsibilities, thus allowing for the enemy, the eye takers to do just that in mass numbers.
We have failed., All of us. Religious and secular. Moslems. Jews. Christians. Catholics. Hindu. Buddhist. All shout and drown out the other. All spoke of what they knew not or cared for. And we, the 'little people' should not have been nor continuing to be so small, so acquiescent to false leaders, to voices of dissent powerful enough to shred our unity, for their own nefarious needs and desires and this encompasses extremists on both sides of the spectrum.
This ceasefire is not meant to last. Hamas and the world will see that so. It is a deal with the Devil, and we know the Devil too often wins. Will we leave hostages in their captors' hands and Israel without any leverage with which to gain their release? Certainly, the world will offer nothing but defamation and blame upon Israel. Nothing but.
We have allowed this. We have bought into the wrong people, the wrong ideas. It has brought us to a Hobbesian dilemma, with no good solutions or answers. Terrorists freed in massive numbers, to repeat their violence and hostages freed. Maybe. But how many more in the future as this is a clearly successful gambit for the eye takers. On the other hand, how can we possibly deny the grief and the hopes of the families of the kidnapped, members of our people and we are all family, are we not, like it or not.
I am so relieved that the decision is not within my hands, but then again, aren't all these decisions given strength and actuality by our voices, loud or unspoken, for silence says much as well?
Let us see what happens today and do what we must, whatever is necessary.
Ayin tachat Ayin.
On the morrow.
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